Scan barcode
A review by tenten
The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
this one, in some aspects, was a bit more technical than Red Dragon, but it was also slightly more enjoyable. the backstory for the villain fell a little flat, and i can't decide if it's transphobic or not (after all, as Harris is adamant about, Jame Gumb is not really a "transsexual.") it's certainly a product of its time.
most of my "it's complicated" responses are complicated because of Clarice. i wouldn't say that the main characters are lovable, but i loved Clarice. i wouldn't say there's much character development, except for Clarice. i think she had the advantage of being the youngest main character, so her development, both as a person and as an FBI trainee, is more clear. i can also see why Jodie Foster took this role. i, admittedly, don't expect much from men writing from the perspective of women, especially in the 80s, but Harris did a good job with Clarice. i found her to be more interesting than Will Graham, protagonist of Red Dragon, and it's unfortunate what happens to Clarice's character in the follow-up, Hannibal (i normally don't prefer movie adaptations, but even that did a better job of concluding Clarice's story.) all in all, i loved Clarice - both in the book and in Jodie Foster's stellar portrayal (if it wasn't clear, i watched the movies first.)
i'm not sure if i want to continue with this series because i have read on several occasions that Hannibal and Hannibal Rising fall flat in comparison to the first two novels. i guess we'll see.
most of my "it's complicated" responses are complicated because of Clarice. i wouldn't say that the main characters are lovable, but i loved Clarice. i wouldn't say there's much character development, except for Clarice. i think she had the advantage of being the youngest main character, so her development, both as a person and as an FBI trainee, is more clear. i can also see why Jodie Foster took this role. i, admittedly, don't expect much from men writing from the perspective of women, especially in the 80s, but Harris did a good job with Clarice. i found her to be more interesting than Will Graham, protagonist of Red Dragon, and it's unfortunate what happens to Clarice's character in the follow-up, Hannibal (i normally don't prefer movie adaptations, but even that did a better job of concluding Clarice's story.) all in all, i loved Clarice - both in the book and in Jodie Foster's stellar portrayal (if it wasn't clear, i watched the movies first.)
i'm not sure if i want to continue with this series because i have read on several occasions that Hannibal and Hannibal Rising fall flat in comparison to the first two novels. i guess we'll see.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia, Gore, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, and Kidnapping
Minor: Death and Cannibalism